Brad Davidson previews the meeting at Canterbury on Wednesday

PUNTERS are in for a treat at Canterbury on Wednesday with Glenall, Pirapala and In Times Of War leading a host of exciting three-year-olds to step out at the races.

Sezanne, left, will be chasing back to back wins at canterbury on Wednesday. Picture: Gregg Porteous

PUNTERS are in for a treat at Canterbury on Wednesday with Glenall, Pirapala and In Times Of War leading a host of exciting three-year-olds to step out at the races.

The Canterbury card is shaping as a beauty with first starters Glenall, In Times Of War and Pirapala all coming off impressive trials, while the promising Sezanne will add further intrigue to the meeting.

Pirapala, a $850,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase for the China Horse Club last year, showed a sharp turn of foot when winning a recent Rosehill trial and trainer Gerald Ryan believes she has the makings of a nice horse.

HOT TIPS: MIDWEEK BEST BETS

SPORTSMAN PREVIEW: CANTERBURY

“I’ve always had a good opinion of her and this time last year I thought she was one of the better horses,” Ryan said. “She is a big filly that has just taken time and she has been held up a bit with the wet weather (this campaign) so we will just see where she sits.

“(But) if the track is a Soft 7 (or worse) she will probably wait for a race at Wyong on Friday.”

Providing she runs, Pirapala will face stiff opposition from In Times Of War in race three.

The Gerry Harvey-owned filly is out of 2010 Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Military Rose and finished fifth behind Pirapala in a 900m Rosehill trial on August 15 but was under no pressure whatsoever.

Trainer Les Bridge will also run Glenall in race 2 after scratching the colt several times in recent weeks due to wide barriers or wet tracks.

“He has been very impressive at the trials and now he has a chance to run in a race,” Bridge said. “He is a lovely colt and he is a late starter and come to us in the winter with all the heavy tracks. I think he drew 16 barrier two or three times in a row and now he has a barrier we are going to run.”

Glenall, formerly with Peter Moody in Melbourne, won a 1050m Randwick trial by 5 ½ lengths on August 19 and was rated a $2.40 favourite with TAB on Tuesday.

“That’s a good price and he won’t be that (Wednesday) I don’t think,” Bridge said. “If he lives up to his trials he will be hard to beat. He couldn’t have gone much better than he’s gone but he has got to do it in a race.”

Sezanne will also have her supporters in the Tab.com.au Handicap.

The Chris Waller-trained filly was an impressive Canterbury maiden winner earlier this month and has also been nominated for the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick this Saturday.

BRAD DAVIDSON’S BEST BETS

BEST BET: GLENALL (Race 2, No. 4)

Les Bridge-prepared colt who has been trialling very well before his debut. He has been scratched several times from wide gates and finally comes up with a good draw here. Should lead and prove hard to catch.

NEXT BEST: SEZANNE (Race 4, No. 11)

Chris Waller-trained filly who was a good maiden winner first-up at this track earlier this month. She got tired late on that occasion but should only strip fitter second-up and she was saved from a race at Randwick last Saturday for this.

OTHER BET: TYPECAST (Race 7, No. 6)

Exceed And Excel mare who won her first two starts last campaign before struggling in stronger company. The four-year-old had plenty left in the tank when winning a recent trial and looks set to make a winning return for the in-form Peter And Paul Snowden stable.

THE EXOTICS

ALL UP: Race 5, No. 5 ROYAL JACKPOT (place) into Race 6, No. 7 ZIN ZAN ELSIE (place).

JOCKEY TO WATCH: HUGH BOWMAN

Bowman finished third in a recent trial aboard Eight Over but has opted to ride stablemate Tivoli Street instead for Chris Waller in race 2. Bowman has five rides for Waller at Canterbury including debutante In Times Of War (race 3), who has caught the eye at the trials.